"Relearning for Fun": 16 Free Reading Series for Adult Learners, 3,100+ Readings in All

Figures as of November 11, 2026. For classical Japanese, each section, poem or story is counted as one reading.

Background

Manabi Lab opened in May 2026 as "Kodomo Manabi Lab," a learning site for junior high school students. It offers explanations one step more detailed than textbooks, with practice questions, across 405 units in five subjects, all free of charge.

Learning should satisfy the wish to know. At school, however, it often turns into memorization or a tool for entrance exams. Subjects that felt hard in school can look different when read again as an adult. The organization therefore decided to prepare readings across subjects for people who read because they want to know, not for exams.

In the Cabinet Office's "Public Opinion Survey on Lifelong Learning" (July 2022; 1,557 valid responses from people aged 18 and over nationwide), 16.2% said they had studied "liberal arts such as literature, history and languages" at least one day a month in the past year, while 24.9% said they would like to study liberal arts in the future. Among those who had not studied, 29.1% said they "could not find an opportunity to start" (Cabinet Office, summary of the survey, in Japanese). Many people want to learn but lack an easy way in.

The word "Kodomo" (children) was removed from the name to show that the site is open to anyone who wants to learn, not only children.

Service Overview

Screenshots of the 16 Series

The 16 Series

Figures as of November 11, 2026.

Key Features

1. Reading for understanding, not memorizationClassical Japanese is read as full stories with readings and modern translations; geography is read while turning the pages of a map; physics and chemistry are read while moving sliders to check the results. The series do not deal with memorizing terms or exam preparation, and each chapter takes only a few minutes to read.
2. Public sources first, with citationsFigures, systems and historical facts are checked against public sources, such as those of national and local governments and research institutions, and each chapter lists its sources. Where views or research results differ, the chapters present them side by side instead of choosing one.
3. An error report form on every pageEvery article on Manabi Lab now links to a form for reporting mistakes. Reports are checked and the articles are corrected.

Roadmap / What's Next

A series for elementary school students is in preparation; once it is published, readers will be able to choose a grade and subject from the Manabi Lab top page. Each "Relearning for Fun" series will continue to add new chapters.